SOL (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER 4

"Well, no, I," she mumbled, "I guess I don't start many friendships."

"Oh how sad!" Fyn cried out.

Odelyn's face darkened like Fyn had flipped a very touchy switch. "I don't want your pity," she snapped.

"We're not offering it," I replied, quickly, "we're offering friendship but hostility isn't really the way to go."

"Yeah whatever," she huffed, "I'm going to find a bathroom or something."

As she stalked out of the room, Fyn and I exchanged a look. This was certainly going to be interesting.

"I guess we should explore while we can before we're swamped with training," Fyn suggested, beginning to head for the door.

"Uh why don't you go ahead. There's something I need to take care of first."

"Yeah no problem I'll wait in the foyer then. Everything's fine though?" she asked, her concern finding its way into her words despite her efforts to mask it.

I nodded, plastering on the most reassuring smile I could. It will be once I sort this out, I replied silently.

I made way through the common room, running my hands along the spines of the books, as I approached the second door and knocked.

The door opened and I was greeted with Ciel. Shirtless.

I must have been stunned into silence because he raised a questioning eyebrow at me.

"Oh um, is Ele here?" I finally spat out.

"Ele, Ele? Sorry that name doesn't ring a bell," he said, grin appearing.

"Eleusis? Long blue hair? Glasses?"

"Yeahhhhh, no."

"Ciel leave the poor girl alone," River laughed appearing beside him, "he's in the other room."

"Thanks," I said relieved, offering him grateful smile.

"I collect gratitude any way you're willing to give it, preferably in as little clothing as possible," he called out as I turned away, my cheeks reddening. What is wrong with these boys?

I knocked on the second door and this time was greeted by Prince Syrion, thankfully still dressed.

"I'm looking for Ele," I said immediately this time.

He didn't bother to respond, instead simply retreating into the room. The next face I saw was Ele's.

"Would you like to explore the castle with me?" I asked, loudly.

"Sure," he replied, a bit confused but willing nonetheless.

I marched forward in silence for a good ten minutes, in an effort to get as far away from everyone as possible. This wasn't a conversation I wanted overheard.

After twisting and turning through what seemed like a labyrinth of hallways, we came to a little alcove etched into the wall. The seat was carved with deer and berries, for whatever reason. I sat and gestured for him to do the same.

"So?" he began.

"So," I replied, still not entirely sure that this was the smartest decision.

He looked at me expectantly, and something in the softness of his features told me that it was okay. That I could trust him. And I did.

"I know you know about the...," I trailed off, still unwilling to speak the words aloud despite my gut feeling.

"The plague?" he completed, softly.

"Yes, how?" I shot out.

"I, uh, I read a lot. I didn't know it was meant to be a secret," he replied.

At that I sighed. "It's not. It's just-" I had the whole speech planned in my mind. I'm human, so already I'm at a disadvantage. I don't need the others knowing I'm sick and thinking that I'm even weaker than they already do. But then I realized, the sickness wasn't visible. As far as any of them were concerned I was as healthy as a human could be. They didn't need to know.

"It's not something our court wants the general public to know," I rushed out. "Only Mycroftians can contract it so there's really no need to panic anyone else."

He nodded, with understanding. But then his brows creased.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get picked? What was the trial?"

Looking into his curious eyes, I almost felt bad for lying. But this was bigger than my honesty, or his trust. This was about my state.

"I wasn't picked, I volunteered." True. "All of Mycroft's warriors were too far gone with the plague but we needed to send someone because if there was any chance of finding a cure it would be at the masquerade. I mean, the best of the best attend; kings, queens, mediks, mages." Also true. "I was one of the few that wasn't sick." False.

"But it's so dangerous," he began.

"I had to. I owe it to my home, my people." I also had nothing to lose, the plague was inescapable, but I kept my ulterior motives to myself.

He had more questions of course. Where did the plague come from, how did it spread and so on and I answered those I could.

I explained that no one knew where the plague came from. It just appeared one day and it soon became clear it only affected commoners. It spread far and fast and soon every commoner, uh almost every commoner, was infected. It didn't spread like any normal sickness though. You could interact with the sick for weeks and not get it until months later. But you'd get it eventually.

It was more like a curse really seeing as only Mycroftian commoners could get it. Regardless, it wasn't a quick death, it had stages. It starts with the white of your eyes turning blue, that's how you know you've caught it but there are no real symptoms then.

He glanced briefly at my eyes, taking in their milky whiteness.

I ignored it and pushed on. It gets worse. The blue becomes green and then it becomes a bit visible. Your hair is limp, your nose constantly runny and your fingernails bleed. In some cases the cough begins then.

After that, your eyes are tinted yellow. You have a hacking cough. It's common to cough out pieces of your lungs at that stage. Simple actions require more energy than you have and your eyes begin to burn.

When yellow becomes orange, it gets worse still. Your runny nose becomes a bleeding nose, your fingernails fall off, the cough gets worse and red? When your eyes are tinted red you're a walking corpse. There's no one way to die from the plague. Some people cough out their lungs, others choke on their own blood or vomit and some bleed out through their eyes. When you get the plague you don't hope to live, you hope for the least painful death.

When I was done he looked mildly queasy. I could have been a bit less graphic I admit but I needed him to understand. Mycroft was dying, I needed to get to the Masquerade. And it'd be nice to have someone by my side.

Almost like he read my mind, he dredged up a smile. "Like you said, the best of the best will be there. If anyone can help, I'm sure you'll find them."

His smile might have been forced but I could see he genuinely meant what he said. "You'll make it, Sol. You'll find the cure."

I smiled as warmly as I could in return.
His support was nice. But he didn't know that. No one did.